Endurance
by Capt.Planet
Summary: Sasuke couldn't help but feel as if he had met them before.


He was late.

He was late, and his brother was going to absolutely _slaughter_ him. Sasuke reached for his violin case and glanced once again at the arrival times. Impatiently, he tapped his foot and hoped against everything that Itachi was stuck in traffic somewhere. _Maybe, if there was a wreck in which no one was injured and... and no property was damaged! Yes!_

Ha, fat chance. He was probably already waiting for him, plotting the best way to kill him with his own bow.

_Damn the public transportation system. Why can't it be __**early**__? Just this once…_

His ears welcomed the screeching sound of the train coming in. Tucking his arms to his sides, Sasuke hurried into the train car before the doors could change their minds and slam shut again. He took a seat near the exit for a quick getaway and eagerly waited for the car to start moving. He dropped his head against the window and let his tired eyes slide shut, mentally practicing the new piece he would soon rehearse.

Loud, breathy laughter rudely interrupted his thoughts. He raised his eyes to see a young couple squeeze through the sliding doors just as they were closing.

Normally, he would only spare people like this an indignant glare before returning to his contemplation, but this time, he was struck with the strangest feeling.

The tall, blonde boy was the one with the obnoxious laugh, he noted. He plopped into a seat directly across from Sasuke and pulled the girl he was dragging by the hand into his lap. When Sasuke saw her, he had to do a double take.

She had _pink _hair. Generally, people with outrageous hair colors such as hers were strange, with multiple piercings, tattoos, and often a dark disposition. This girl, however, practically sparkled. She had on brown boots, a plain, flowing sea-foam green skirt and a white top with a tan cardigan over it. She even wore _green mittens_. The wide green eyes set above graceful cheekbones were trained on the boy, and her smile was _beautiful_. She was giggling as well, but her laugh was more like music. She seemed so kind and innocent; Sasuke could not help but stare.

He turned his attention to the boy and found that, in a strange way, he glowed too. Of course, Sasuke was not inclined to call the boy beautiful, but he _was_ attractive. His spiky blonde hair stood out in all directions and put even Sasuke's hair to shame. He looked at the girl as if she was the only thing in the world that mattered, and Sasuke, for some reason, felt a tinge of jealousy. The boy had bright blue eyes that crinkled when the girl said something funny, and his laugh only became louder as they continued to speak. At one point, his eyes softened, and he reached up to kiss her on the nose.

Sasuke looked away at this point, confused by the anger that suddenly took hold in him. Why did _he_ care if he saw some random couple canoodling in a metro car? What was she to him that he would wish _he_ were the one she was holding?

Why did he feel like he knew these people?

The more he watched him, the surer he was that they had met, but he could not place them. He was positive that he had never seen them at any of the music programs he had attended, and he knew they did not go to his university.

Why did he feel the overwhelming urge to _join_ them? He almost felt that, if he tried, he could call them by name. He knew they would answer…

When he looked back over at them, he caught the boy staring.

_He knows me, too. Maybe I should ask?_

The strange look in this boy's eyes was disconcerting. He was confused, Sasuke could see, but he was in pain. Sasuke realized that the boy did not know why he had these feelings, but he wanted to know.

The boy's stare was too intense for him, so he looked away again, sheepishly staring at his feet instead.

He heard the boy whisper to the girl and could not help but look up again through his bangs.

The girl's look was entirely different, and it nearly stole his breath. She was in pain as well, and confused, but under that, there was anger. Anguish and rage that she probably could not explain if she was asked.

Sasuke suddenly wanted to apologize to them, but for what?

He realized the train was coming to a stop, so he buttoned his coat and grabbed his violin while he stood. The young couple stood to wait for the doors as well. When they opened, the two rushed out even before he could. He almost stopped them to speak, but he did not know where to begin.

As they walked away from him, he felt a bizarre sense of loss sink into his skin. His eyes followed them as they walked to the steps that would lead them to the street above.

They did not look at the same time, but they both did turn back. The boy's bright blue eyes were haunted, and they made him want to call out, but he stayed silent. When the girl looked back, her tormented icy green gaze made him want to drop his head in shame, but he held her eyes with his.

_Perhaps, in a different life…_

An elderly lady who was trying to get onto the next train bumped into his elbow, startling him out of his musings. He apologized and quickly made his way to the stairs with a sigh.

Aniki would not be pleased.


End file.
